Relay and meter testing and calibrating switch



Sept. l, 1931. P. sPoRN ET AL 1,820,922

RELAY AND METER TESTING AND CALIBRATING SWITCH Filed June 15. 1930ATTGRNEY Y Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHILIPSPORN, OF BROOKLYN, AND

HENRY D. FREITAG, OF LYNBROOK, NEW YORK, AS-

SIGNORS flO ELECTRIC PROGRESS COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORA- TION 0F NEW YORK RELAY AND METER TESTING AND CALIBRATING SWITCHApplication filed June 13, 1930. Serial No. 460,823.

The invention relates to electrical switching apparatus, more especiallyfor use in the testing and Calibrating of relay and meter installations;and it has for its object to render this possible, without dismountingan instrument or getting in back of a panel board, merely by theinsertion of a suitable key into the switching apparatus and the turningof the saine to cut out the particular instrument or instruments fromthe line and eHect connection temporarily to test apparatus located atsome convenient point.

In a previous application, Serial No. 738,272, iiled by us September 17,1924 for a similar device, we have disclosed sets of outer andintermediatecontact fingers `arranged in pairs with an oscillatableshaft between, the said shaft carrying contact blades which arepivotally secured thereto as well as to the intermediate linger.

The present embodiment, however, contemplates an arrangement whereinpermanent contact is also had with the intermediate linger but thecontact element is not in any way secured to said finger, merelyeffecting a wiping contact therewith as the shaft is oscillated ineither direction; and the said contact element is, furthermore, fixedlysecured to the shaft and not pivotally. By this modification a moresimple and rugged switch device is attained and more perfect contact hadbetween the contact elements and the respective intermediate lingers.

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood whendescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the novel switch apparatus. y

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with lid of enclosing casing removed andpanel to which the casing is shown attached indicated in section.

Fig. 3 is an elevation, on a reduced scale, of the escutcheon plate maybe secured to its panel.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a box structure or enclosingcasing, of any suitable design, which is adapted to house and support anoscillatable shaft 11, as between by which the switch its end walls 12and 13. The said shaft passes, also, through the front wall 13 andprojects beyond the same into a recess 14 provided in the panel 15, towhich said casing may be attached by bolts 16 or the like, and through asuitable escutcheon plate 17, having a diametrically slotted opening 18which designed to receive a key member 19. The latter has diametricallydisposed pins 2O eX- tcnding from its periphery to lit the slot 18 forinsertion of the key and, when turned, to lock the same behind theescutcheon plate to prevent withdrawal of said key.

rlhe key, furthermore, is provided with a slot or socket 21 at its inneredge to fit over and engage with a pin 22 of the shaft for effecting theoscillation of the latter, it being understood that when the key isturned to a position such that it is locked against withdrawal theswitch serves to disconnect a particular instrument (not shown) into atest circuit through the leads 25, 26, 27 and 25',

26, 27', for example, in the manner set forth in our aforesaidapplication. The key is withdrawable then only after it has been turnedto again restore the original conditions.

The novel switch mechanism is mounted within the casing 10 and comprisesa set of upper and lower (outer) and intermediate contact lingers 30, 31and 32, and a set of fingers 33, 84 and 35, the lingers of the two setsbeing arranged in pairs and disposed respectively on opposite sides ofthe shaft 11, with Contact fingers of each set lying in a common planeand the intermediate fingers also in the plane of the shaft.

The said fingers are preferably of the di vided spring socket type withembracing spring steel members 86 to normally force the separated socketelements together; and suitable posts 37 extend from the various socketshrough the respective side walls of the casing and exteriorly to affordconnection of an instrument to the various leads.

Mounted over the oscillatable shaft 11 is a succession of insulationblocks 40, 41 and 42 corresponding to the various pairs of sets ofcontact lingers; and the same have rigidly att-ached thereto upondiametrically opposite sides of the shaft respective triple-contactelements 43, 44, 45 and 46, 47, 48 located in j uxtaposition to therespective contact sockets. Each of these contact-making elements,moreover, embodies outer contacts as an upper and a lower prong, foreffecting a wiping contact with the respective upper and lower fingersas the shaft is correspondingly oscillated, and an intermediate prongfor continuously effecting a wiping contact with an intermediate finger.I he radius of an intermediate prong and the contacting surface thereofis such that in either extreme of oscillation of the shaft Il the saidprong will remain in Contact with its juxtaposed intermediate contactfinger. In other words, an intermediate prong, though not permanentlyattached, is always in contact with its particular contact finger and awiping action prevails so that the engaging surface will always bemaintained in good condition for contact.

A similar wiping action is effected also between the outer contactprongs and their juxtaposed fingers, the arrangement in view of theposition of said prongs above and below the shaft being such that whenone prong of a contact element engages one of the outer fingers, theoppositely positioned prong of said element is out of contact with thejuxtaposed outer finger, except, if desired, during the immediate periodof transition. Moreover, the particular outer prong of one element inengagement with its finger will be opposite the outer one of the otherContact element in engagement, as indicated in F ig. l which illustratesthe position wherein a plurality of instruments are cut into the lineIfor normal operation. If it be desired to piace these instrumentstemporarily on test, shaft ll would be turned to the right, causing thecontact elements 43, 44 and 45 to break engagement between the upperfingers 30 and intermediate fingers 32, and contact elements 46, 47 and48 to break the engagement between the lower fingers 34 and intermediatefingers 35 and thus changing the circuits of the correspondinginstruments. At the same time, the contact elements 43, 44 and 45 willconnect the intermediate fingers 32 with fingers 31 and the contactelements 46, 47 and 48 will connect the lingers 33 with intermediatefingers 35. Vhile only one upper and one lower finger has been shown asassociated with an intermediate finger, it will be understood, ofcourse, that additional outer fingers and corresponding prongs may beprovided to meet special circuit changing conditions.

We claim:

l. In a switch of the class described, two sets of hree oppositelydisposed eontactrfingers each, the fingers of each set lying in a commonplane and corresponding fingers of the opposite sets lying in a commonplane at right angles thereto, an oscillatable shaft mounted between thesets of fingers and in the plane of the intermediate fingers, and twotriple-contact blades rigidly carried by the shaft on opposite sides tomove therewith, the said blades being vadapted thereby for alternativewiping engagementwiththe juxtaposed outer fingers of the set located onthe corresponding side of the shaft and for continuous engagement. withthe intermediate finger of said set but unattached thereto.

2. In a switch of the class described, two sets of three op ositelydisposed contact fingers each, the fingers vof each set lying in acommon plane and corresponding fingers of the opposite sets lying in acommon plane at right angles thereto, an oscillatable shaft mountedbetween the sets offingers and in the plane of the intermediate fingers,and two triple-contact blades rigidly carried by the shaft on oppositesides to move therewith, the said blades being adapted inaccordance withthe angular position of the shaft for alternative wiping' engagementwith the juxtaposed outer fingers of the set located on thecorresponding side of the shaft and for continuous engagement with theintermediate finger of said set but unattachedthereto.

3. In a swich of the class described, comprising a box-like structure,sets of upper, lower and intermediate contact fingers mounted uponoppositely disposed walls of said box, the said fingers of each setlying in acommon plane and having means extending exteriorly of the boxfor connection thereto, a shaft oscillatably journaled in the oppositewalls of the boxl with axis of oscillation at right angles to the planeof said sets of fingers, two oppositely directed contact elementsrigidly supported on opposite sides of the shaft to move therewith, eachhaving an intermediate prong permanently in wiping engagement with ajuxtaposed intermediate finger and also having outer prongs adapted foi1wiping engagement with the respective outer fingers of aset, thearrangement being such that as the shaft is lrocked one of the outerprongs goes into engagement` with its uxtaposed outer finger while theother goes out of engagement with its juxtaposed outer finger andsimultaneously the opposite prong of the other contact element goes outof engagement with its juxtaposed finger while the other prongV of saidlast-named contact element goes into wiping engagement with itsjuxtaposed outer finger.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

PHILIP SPORN. HENRY D. FREITAG.

